Hidden Hazards

[DataDan]

Do you split lanes in city traffic because you think it makes you safer? If you don't understand the risks and take the necessary precautions, you're just fooling yourself. You may be putting yourself in danger unknowingly.

A Florida rider died today when he split between two "large vehicles" at an intersection and hit an oncoming van as it turned left.

As he approached this signal southbound...



...the green light turned yellow, then red. He split the other vehicles--a Honda Ridgeline pickup in the #1 lane, apparently--when they stopped for the changing light. As he entered the intersection, a northbound van completed its left turn, and the two collided.

The slowing vehicle in the #1 lane screened the view between the rider and the van, so neither could see the other until it was too late.

 

[DataDan]

Another reminder today that "motorcycle hit by left-turning car" doesn't always mean what you think.

From just about every discussion on BARF and other forums, as well as what we're taught in rider training, we have come to expect that left-turner crashes occur with the motorcycle in full view of the driver. So the logical conclusion is that he was reckless or distracted, or intentionally put the motorcyclist at risk. But if you have followed this thread or any of several others in 1Rider, you know better. Often, the driver can't see the motorcycle--NOR CAN THE RIDER SEE THE CAR--because of intervening terrain, roadside clutter, or other vehicles.

Yesterday afternoon in Tampa, a motorcycle traveling from right to left here...



...was hit by a van turning left into the business park at the top of the photo. But the rider, "weaving through traffic at high speeds," was in the bicycle lane passing slower traffic. In that position, he couldn't have seen the left-turn threat, nor could the driver have seen him.

It's tempting to discount this crash because the rider was in the bike lane. But the same thing can happen--and HAS HAPPENED--to motorcyclists passing in a legal lane. The crucial elements contributing to this crash were excessive speed and sudden exposure from behind a line of intervening traffic, not his bonehead use of the bicycle lane.


The conventional wisdom is that left-turner crashes are unpredictable and unpreventable by the motorcyclist. All you can do is wear good gear--bright colors, hoping to be seen, and effective protection if you're not.

But often that is not true. Many occur because the pre-crash sightline is blocked. Those crashes are easily preventable with good situational awareness and countermeasures. For more info, see the OP of this thread.

 

[DataDan]

In a crash similar to others that appear in this thread and the 1Rider thread Traffic Tactics: Left-Turning Vehicles, a Phoenix rider was killed Thursday when he collided with a pickup turning left from a driveway on the rider's right.

Here...



...northbound vehicles in the #2 and #3 lanes stopped to allow a pickup to exit the complex on the east side. But a motorcyclist in the #1 continued past them and hit the pickup before it completed its turn:

Because of the intervening vehicles in the #2 and #3 lanes, the pickup driver couldn't see the motorcycle, and the rider couldn't see the pickup. Then, when the sightline opened up, it was too late.

If you've followed posts in this thread, you probably understood the problem immediately. If this is your first visit, scroll through the rest of this thread and the thread linked above to see how view obstruction can contribute to motorcycle crashes and how you can recognize the situation as it develops and prevent a crash.

 

[DataDan]

An obstruction can also block your view to a red-light runner:

Here, it's the structure supporting the overpass:

youtu.be/ebIGlxKDT6k
​

Here, it's a car turning right from the left cross-street:

youtu.be/jr6R5dQa8hY
​

If you don't have a clear view to a potential cross-traffic threat, take a little extra time and launch more cautiously to ensure safe passage through the intersection.

 

[danate]

An obstruction can also block your view to a red-light runner:

Here, it's the structure supporting the overpass:

youtu.be/ebIGlxKDT6k
​

Here, it's a car turning right from the left cross-street:

youtu.be/jr6R5dQa8hY
​

If you don't have a clear view to a potential cross-traffic threat, take a little extra time and launch more cautiously to ensure safe passage through the intersection.

A great technique for dealing with intersections is taught for emergency vehicle operators in relations to crossing an intersection against a red light. The same rings true for any vehicle on a green as well.

When entering an intersection, each lane must be cleared one by one as you proceed. Before you enter the path of the second lane for example, you should already have been able to visually clear it and make sure the traffic is fully stopped or nobody is there. If your vision is obstructed, you should proceed slowly enough so that you can clear the lane properly before proceeding. I do this every time I go through an intersection from a stop (and even do an abbreviated form when already travelling at speed).

 

[DataDan]

A great technique for dealing with intersections is taught for emergency vehicle operators in relations to crossing an intersection against a red light. The same rings true for any vehicle on a green as well.

When entering an intersection, each lane must be cleared one by one as you proceed. Before you enter the path of the second lane for example, you should already have been able to visually clear it and make sure the traffic is fully stopped or nobody is there. If your vision is obstructed, you should proceed slowly enough so that you can clear the lane properly before proceeding. I do this every time I go through an intersection from a stop (and even do an abbreviated form when already travelling at speed).

:thumbup

Excellent advice. Actively look for threats and don't proceed until you've confirmed that it's clear.

 

[canyonrat]

Wow, some good info Dan. What I noticed on the over pass red light runner video was that the rider sat their for 10 seconds with out moving his head. Now MSF trains that your head needs to be turned when cornering and at inter sections they want to see your head turn left and right before proceeding. I'm a HUGH advocate of moving your head about as a rider. ALSO I've seen around 5 "close" calls where a group of riders (me included) pulled over and then a rider walks into the street and almost gets hit by a car. Again, the riders involved never looked before they walked. Mark

 

[louemc]

In many crashes where view is obstructed, as Hurt said, "the culpability is clearly that of the automobile driver." But to survive as a motorcyclist you must accept full responsibility for your own survival, because it is you, not the Ford F-350 driver, whose life is on the line. By increasing your awareness of hidden hazards, you will be able to identify these situations as they develop and take action to protect yourself.

That's the bottom line, right there. :thumbup

If a rider can't use the brain to assess safe space, in any surface condition and traffic situation... And know what they can do on the bike...

All the other possibilities, are possible.

 

[DataDan]

In the OP of his thread Anticipation and Awareness - A Case Study, flying hun concludes: "The moral of the story is that any time you can't see what's on the other side of a vehicle, people on the other side can't see you, and are quite likely to assume that you're not there." Great advice.

Hun's description of the (non-)event is an excellent example of how to deal with an unseen potential hazard. This is his POV:

 

[Bootworks]

Good stuff, Dan! A few minutes browsing this brings back to consciousness good habits earned through 50 survival years of riding. I think I'll ride a bit differently tomorrow!

 

[HeatXfer]

Reading this entire thread again, thanks Dan.

 

[kliffdean]

I had a crash similar to some of the ones described here except there was nothing blocking the line of sight. I watched a car in the oncoming left turn lane from over a block away while driving down Geary st. in San Francisco. The car was patiently waiting for it's chance to turn with it's turn signal on and it wasn't trying to creep into the intersection or anything. As soon as I reach the intersection it begins to make it's turn. This leaves me with the space of an intersection to stop my bike which is going about 30 mph at this point. Luckily, there was no collision... unless you count me and the asphalt colliding. My bike was banged up pretty good from falling and the driver sped off without a care. The point is that even without extra obstacles blocking anyone's view or any sign of danger we still have to ride as defensive as possible. :afm199 Every second survived on a motorcycle is a like a tiny miracle...which is probably what makes riding them so great. :ride

 

[DataDan]

I had a crash similar to some of the ones described here except there was nothing blocking the line of sight.

The thread Traffic Tactics: Left-Turning Vehicles has some tips for dealing with threats like the one that got you.

 

[GAJ]

I had a crash similar to some of the ones described here except there was nothing blocking the line of sight. I watched a car in the oncoming left turn lane from over a block away while driving down Geary st. in San Francisco. The car was patiently waiting for it's chance to turn with it's turn signal on and it wasn't trying to creep into the intersection or anything. As soon as I reach the intersection it begins to make it's turn. This leaves me with the space of an intersection to stop my bike which is going about 30 mph at this point. Luckily, there was no collision... unless you count me and the asphalt colliding. My bike was banged up pretty good from falling and the driver sped off without a care. The point is that even without extra obstacles blocking anyone's view or any sign of danger we still have to ride as defensive as possible. :afm199 Every second survived on a motorcycle is a like a tiny miracle...which is probably what makes riding them so great. :ride

Same thing happened to me except I spotted the car two blocks away, no other traffic.

Made the HUGE mistake of taking my eyes off the front wheels to detect movement and instead moved them up to see if maybe the car had no driver and had stalled.

Nope, she floored it and I swerved left after braking as best I could, low sided and rolled behind the car as my bike punched into her right rear door.

I knew I was in deep trouble when I saw the gray hair and those HUGE sunglasses; turns out she was 85 and thought her green trumped mine. :laughing:wtf

No ambulance ride thanks to gear, but my much loved K75S was toast.

 

[DataDan]

In this thread I've included two crashes where the motorcyclist passed a vehicle stopped for a crossing pedestrian, then hit the previously unseen ped. Last year, the same kind of crash killed both the pedestrian and the rider in Long Beach.

Last week, a similar crash killed a pedestrian in San Francisco (discussed in this BARF thread). In this case the vehicle that hid the pedestrian from the rider's view was double-parked. But the lesson is the same: At a point of sudden exposure--such as the double-parked vehicle--slow down, approach cautiously, and look for an incursion from the obstructed space.

 

[KittenMeat]

In this thread I've included two crashes where the motorcyclist passed a vehicle stopped for a crossing pedestrian, then hit the previously unseen ped. Last year, the same kind of crash killed both the pedestrian and the rider in Long Beach.

Last week, a similar crash killed a pedestrian in San Francisco (discussed in this BARF thread). In this case the vehicle that hid the pedestrian from the rider's view was double-parked. But the lesson is the same: At a point of sudden exposure--such as the double-parked vehicle--slow down, approach cautiously, and look for an incursion from the obstructed space.

I think riding a bicycle and being a messenger for a time really got me conscious of this exact type of collision. I've seen cars do it to, but thankfully the pedestrian wasn't hurt, or jumped away in time.

If a car stops for seemingly no reason always look for the source.

Much like diagnosing a septic infection, all moves a driver does have a source. Sometimes it is outside the car, other times it's within (cell phone, turning around to yell at kids in the back seat, putting on makeup or shaving while driving, road head...)

 

[louemc]

Totally escapes me, how any rider has trouble... I don't have trouble.
Yes I know what they do wrong, but ... I don't do wrong. So I don't know why/how they do wrong.

I have such an obsession with seeing what is ahead, I cut folage on the sides of the road, that obstructs clear sight lines.

No one else does this. Not the county, not Cal Trans, Just plain No One.

 

[NeilInPacifica]

Ok

 

[ThumperX]

Totally escapes me, how any rider has trouble... I don't have trouble.
Yes I know what they do wrong, but ... I don't do wrong. So I don't know why/how they do wrong.

I have such an obsession with seeing what is ahead, I cut folage on the sides of the road, that obstructs clear sight lines.

No one else does this. Not the county, not Cal Trans, Just plain No One.

I think the trouble is that traffic has become so constant and cluttered, there are so many more distractions beyond a radio now, and riders with little experience are jumping into the frey.

This thread is full of critical information and painstakingly constructed by Data Dan :thumbup

 

[budman]

NO doubt this is an awesome thread.

New riders should read it in detail and really think it through. This critical bit of thinking has save my ass several times.